Fresno Police to Conduct Citywide DUI Patrols Saturday Night

Fresno police are deploying citywide DUI saturation patrols tonight, running from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m., with officers out in increased numbers scanning for any sign of impaired driving across the city.

The operation comes on the heels of a prior weekend enforcement in which the Fresno Police Department arrested 12 drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence. Saturday night's patrols represent the department's next step in a series of DUI enforcement operations and checkpoints planned throughout the year, all funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Police are drawing a broad definition of impaired driving. Alcohol is not the only concern: some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs can interfere with driving, and officers are urging anyone taking such medications to read warning labels carefully and follow directions before getting behind the wheel. Authorities also issued a pointed reminder that while medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal in California, driving under the influence of marijuana remains a crime.

The financial consequences of a conviction are steep. A first-time DUI carries an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, according to police, along with a suspended driver's license.

Fresno PD has been running a broader traffic-safety enforcement campaign in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the department conducted a motorcycle safety enforcement operation targeting violations that contribute to crashes.

Chief Mindy Casto leads the department through this enforcement push, which the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are backing with grant funding. No dollar amount for the grant has been disclosed publicly.